iPhone’s US and UK Share Grows, Rest of Europe Turning to Android

A new report from Kantar Worldpanel ComTech today claims that the iPhone 4S is responsible for a growth in market share for Apple’s iPhone in both the UK and US, with consumers rushing out to pick up Apple’s latest tech.

The situation is not quite so rosy in some of Apple’s other European markets, though, with some seeing a reduction in iPhone demand, rather than the usual increase.

It is better news Down Under, however, with Australia seeing strong iPhone demand and the 4S continuing to “fly off the shelf” as we close in on the end of 2011…

Apple’s iPhone market share rose to 36% in the US last quarter, up from 25% the year before, and it was a similar story in the UK. Apple finds itself with a 31% of the share in that area, up from 21% the last year.

The news elsewhere is not quite so positive.

When looking at market share in France, for example, the stats show a fall from 29% last year to just 20% this time around. Germany’s results are similar – down from 27% to 22%. Both Italy and Spain tell similar stories, a problem that Apple will no doubt be seeking to address as soon as possible.

Unsurprisingly, Google finds itself the main beneficiary of Apple’s loss, with Android picking up the slack.

“The fall in Apple’s market share appears to be Google’s gain, with its Android operating system holding shares of between 46% and 61% in all markets that were analysed. German smartphone buyers prefer the Android platform, increasing its market share of the platform to 61%, with Samsung’s Galaxy S II the most popular handset.”

The reason for the iPhone’s poor showing in some European countries is being attributed to the suffering economies leading purchasers towards being increasingly price-conscious.

[Reuters via The Next Web]